Early Briefing: Cost-Conscious Colleges

Steve Pearlstein says "the next time you hear a college president explain how its not humanly possible to hold down annual tuition increases without affecting quality or reducing student aid, tell him to call "Brit" Kirwan". (By Dudley M. Brooks -- The Washington Post)

*Columnist Steve Pearlstein says the University of Maryland system is a model for how to squeeze more productivity out of the higher education system. "Over the past three years," he writes, William E. Kirwan, the chancellor of the University of Maryland system, "figured out how to educate 6 percent more students while cutting baseline operating costs by 3 percent and holding average annual tuition increases to less than 2 percent." See column.

*The District's finance chief, Natwar M. Gandhi, defended his agency at a lengthy council meeting yesterday. The city auditor said his office ignored her warnings about potential problems at the tax office. See story

*D.C. Council members rejected a plan to give Radio One land to move back into the District from Lanham, so the broadcaster and city have to go back to the negotiating table. See story.

*At two hearings on the Hill, legislators and witnesses expressed concern about private-equity ownership of nursing homes. Carlyle Group of the District is about to finish its acquisition of Manor Care, the nation's largest nursing-home chain. See story

*Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is forming a task force to fight home foreclosures brought on by risky mortgage loans. See story